Nothing but Net

With Saturday's running of the Kentucky Derby, the race for the
Triple Crown is officially under way. Another race off to a flying
start is the one to see which can empty my wallet faster, my wife
or the betting windows at Del Mar Race Track. So far, Gloria's in
front by a nose.

A few days ago I went on a cyber troll to see if I could uncover
any unknown nuggets of information that would steer me in the right
direction for the Run for the Roses. I'm not looking to break the
bank or anything, just something to numb the pain from those stupid
Seahawks who gave away my lunch money back in February. The surf
didn't amount to much -- big surprise! -- but I did land on a Web
site that could benefit all novice wagerers come July when the Del
Mar racing season starts.

It's called www.horseswild.com, a catch-all web site that has a
little something for anyone with even a passing interest in the
sport of kings.

Cool stuff

< HorsesWild.com does a good job of providing an overall
picture of the sport. It has up-to-date information about major
races, top jockeys and trainers, and most races tracks throughout
the country. It also features a "Champion Horses" link, which
provides great insight on the history of horse racing.

< This is a great site for new players, as it features a
glossary of betting types and a variety of tips for smarter
betting.

< The community forum allows fans to interact and discuss the
latest horse racing topics. Not a bad place to get some tips
either.

Check at the door

< There's so much cool stuff on the Web site, it's almost too
much. The navigation needs to be improved to help the surfer browse
with more ease.

< Where's the video? The site has photo galleries, but what
it needs is a video archive of great races in history. That would
help create more buzz, especially for new fans.

The grade

< Most horse racing Web sites are just glorified gambling
sites, with in-your-face win guarantees that can be had with a
simple credit card number.

HorsesWild.com has those links, too, but at least it makes a
solid attempt to educate its visitors. (So when you lose your
money, you can't say you weren't informed.) I was tempted to give
HorsesWild.com a grade of four mouses, but since I now haven't won
a Derby since before the Internet was invented, I guess I'm
resigned to give it three.

3 out of 5 mouses

Marc Figueroa claims to be the world's best hunch player. He
once won on a 50-1 shot at Los Alamitos after watching a
quarter-horse do his business before entering the gate. Figuring
the horse was a bit lighter on his feet, he plunked down a few
bucks and took home $150. His wife, of course, blew the day's take
at the mall. He can be reached at
marcfig@aol.com
.